A vital part of the IDW is the ability not only to display information from personal computer application software but also to accept multiple inputs from various sources. For example, the IDW architecture enables the acceptance of multiple live, dynamic video streams and the display of them in any tile in a rectangular array of such tiles. This ability to display information from multiple sources simultaneously in different areas of the screen is made possible by use of three external video processors connected to the central DataWall PC system and of a custom windowing software system, called “Fenestra” (Latin for “Windows”), which leverages COTS video overlay hardware to enable the display of both live high-resolution computer video and low-resolution National Television System Committee (NTSC) video sources. A number of decision-makers can interact within the display environment simultaneously via multiple cursors generated by a collection of networked application computers. Collocated application computers can also be controlled within the display space.

A custom laser pointer input device can function similarly to a wireless computer mouse. A live video image of the display surface is processed to determine presence and position of the laser dot on the screen to enable the user to interact with the information displayed. The computer cursor can be controlled to coincide with the laser dot, and mouse buttons on the laser pointer device can be used to perform the same control actions as those of mouse buttons. With voice input via a cordless telephone, wireless control also can be exerted by use of speech-recognition hardware and software.

This work was done by Peter A. Jedrysik and Rebecca C. Alvarez of the Air Force Research Laboratory. For more information, download the Technical Support Package (free white paper) at www.defensetechbriefs.com/tsp under the Electronics/Computers category. AFRL-0017

This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).

Interactive DataWall (reference AFRL-0017) is currently available for download from the TSP library.

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